Knockdown crate.



L. ANDERSON. KNOOKDOWN CRATE.

APPLICATION rmm BEPT.18, 1009.

1,003,686, Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

B SHEETS-SHEET 1.

LEE ANDERSON, OF PARIS, TEXAS;

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

Application filed September 18, 1909. Serial No. 518,396.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnn ANnnnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris, county of Lamar State of Texas, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Crates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a knockdown crate and particularly to a structure having folding side and end members connected together and adapted to receive and retain closures for the top and bottom of the crate.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel construction comprising connected slatted sides and ends adapted to receive top and bottom members which are held against lateral or longitudinal displacement by the ends and an insertible locking board which engages one end section and one end of the top or bottom member to be held thereby.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a top plan of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the folded sides and ends; Fig. 4 is a detail end elevation showing the locking board; Fig. 5 is a vertical sect-ion on line 55 of Fig. l; and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the locking board.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Numeral 10 indicates the side members which may be of any desired construction for instance slatted as shown, these slats being connected together by posts 11 at each end thereof which posts are extended above and below the sides as shown at 12 to form an abutment for the top and bottom of the end section 13. These sections are composed of slats similar to the sides and connected together by the posts 14 at each end thereof. The slats of the ends 13 bear against the posts 11 of the sides and the top and bottom of the ends extend beyond the sides so that the outer slats 15 thereof cooperate with the closures for the top and bottom. This construction connects the sides and ends so that they cannot be separated but can be conveniently folded into knockdown position for storage or transportation as shown in Fig. 3.

The top and bottom sections 16 may be formed in any desired manner for instance solid as shown and they are each provided at one end with a cross bar 17 which engages the slat 15 while the opposite end thereof is plane as at 18. At this end a locking board 19 is inserted beneath the slat 15 and springs or presses the board 16 downward until the cross piece 20 on the locking board springs over the end 18 while at the same time the cross bar 21 of this board 19 engages the inner face of the slat 15 thus preventing any movement of the locking boa rd until the closure member is pressed inward to release it from the strip 20. This construction prevents longitudinal movement of the closure mem bers while lateral movement thereof inward is prevented by a cross bar 22 which extends over the top slats of the sides. If desired any additional securing means may be used in event of the crate being subjected to rough handling such for instance as a binding wire 23 extending between the cross pieces 22 of the top and bottom members.

If it be desired to convert the crate into a box or case it may be readily effected by means of linings such for instance as the side boards 24: which are held in separated position in contact with the slats by means of the partition 25 while at opposite ends of the side boards end linings 26 may be disposed thus forming a closed boxing. These lining members are of less height than the side walls to permit a vertical movement in the locking of the closures at the top and bottom by springing or bending when the locking board is introduced.

In the use of the crate the slatted members are opened into rectangular form with the ends in contact with the posts of the sides. The bottom closure is then introduced with its cross bar 17 in contact with the outer slat of the end. The locking board is then pressed inward against the bottom closure and thence outward until the stop 20 thereon is in contact with the end of the closure and the stop 21 in contact with the slat of the end section. After filling the crate the top may be applied in a similar manner and it will be noted that this arrangement secures the top and bottom members against both lateral and longitudinal displacement as outward movement laterally is prevented by the slat 15 while the cross piece 22 supports the center of the closure board leaving the end thereof free to be depressed when inserting the looking board. If it be desired to convert the crate into a box or packing case the lining boards for the sides and ends can be conveniently inserted. If it be desired to ship or store the crate it is readily knocked down and folded for that purpose by simply removing the top and bottom closures and when in that condition occupies a minimum of space as these closures may be nested upon the folded sides and ends and secured together to protect all of the parts when in knock down position. It will therefore be seen that the invention presents a simple, efficient and economically constructed form of knockdown and con vertible crate.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a knockdown crate, side sections, end sections, a flexible closure having at one end a cross-bar to engage one end section and an opposite end held under tension, and an in- I dependent locking board slidable upon the tension end of said .closure and provided with a stop to engage the inner face of the opposite end section and a stop to engage the end of said closure.

2. In a knockdown crate, side sections, end sections extended vertically beyond the sides, a flexible closure member having a cross-bar disposed intermediate of its ends to engage the upper edge of the side sections, a stop disposed at one end of said closure to engage an end section, and independent slidable locking means mounted upon the oppothe upper slat of the opposite end section and the outer face of the closure.

4. In a knockdown crate, slatted side and end sections connected together, a flexible closure board having upon its outer face at one end a cross bar to engage the inner face of one end section and an opposite end under tension, a centrally disposed cross bar upon said closure adapted to rest upon the side sections, and a separable and independent locking board slidably mounted upon the tension end of said closure and provided upon its upper face with a stop to engage the opposite end section and upon its under face with a strip to engage the end of the closure board.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEE ANDERSON.

Witnesses D. A. ALBRIGHT, A. M. Moonn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

